2o6 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION 



journal, "Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity," 

 which is in touch with every prominent investigator in its special 

 field of inquiry. 



Letters Regarding the Project. 



[^Mr. 0. H. Tittmayin, Superinte7ide7it of U. S. Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey, to the Carnegie Institution P^ 



It is my privilege to forward to the Carnegie Institution a project 

 proposed by Dr. L. A. Bauer for an International or Central Mag- 

 netic Research Bureau, for the investigation of problems of the 

 earth's magnetism, of world-wide interest. For want of such an 

 international bureau many of the benefits hoped for from magnetic 

 work, it appears, have not been realized, primarily, because of lack 

 of unification, correlation, and prompt publication of results. 



The establishment of a bureau such as proposed has been agitated 

 at various times, and especially of late, by eminent German magneti- 

 cians, such as Professor Neumayer, Director of the Deutsche See- 

 warte, Hamburg, and Professor Adolf Schmidt, of Gotha, both 

 leading authorities. Its founding, in connection with an Interna- 

 tional Research Institution, which I understand is the purpose of 

 the Carnegie Institution, would seem to me most appropriate, and 

 would avoid the prime difiiculty likely to be encountered in securing 

 the hearty and harmonious cooperation of all nations, were the 

 Bureau established under the governmental auspices of any one 

 country. 



No nation at present can wield a wider influence in magnetic work 

 than our own, because of the extent of territory under our jurisdic- 

 tion and because of the fact that all magnetic work is being carried 

 out according to a common plan under one organization — the Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey. This influence would be immeasurably in- 

 creased by the founding in our country of the proposed International 

 Magnetic Bureau. As evidence of the hearty cooperation of all na- 

 tions that it is possible for us to secure, I desire to call your attention 

 to the success achieved in its work and purposes by the interna- 

 tional journal, ' ' Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity, ' ' 

 founded in this country. 



The plan proposed is, in brief, to employ the necessary number of 

 persons at the main office at Washington, and to conduct research 

 work by granting funds to the best qualified persons in any country, 



